Shutter for accordions



UNITED STATES SALVATORE RAJBUAZZO, 0F PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ANTONIO LUPINACGI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHUTTER FOB ACCORDIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed October 9, 1918. Serial No. 257,479.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SALVATOR RABUAzzo, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at 737 South 7th street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shutters for Accordions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to accordions and like musical instruments, and it has more particular reference to a novel construction of, and means for operating the swell.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a shutter or swell control which is positive in action, and is easily manipulated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shutter or swell control which can be intermittently opened and closed by the depression of a single key.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists essentially in the features of construction, combination and arrangement ofthe several parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, and more specifically pointed out by the appended claims;

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which v Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of part of the back of an accordion key-board having my invention applied thereto, and certain parts being broken away or in section for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view taken on the line 22, in Fig. 1, and looking to the left hand thereof.

Fig. 3, is a detail view of the crank for operating the shutters or swell.

In these views, the numeral 3, indicates a boX like frame forming one end of the accordion, and to which the bellowsnot shown--is attached by a clamping ring 4. At, or near the outer end of the frame 3, and secured transversely therein I arrange a metallic face plate 5, provided with a series of rows of sound emitting holes 6, and swell controlling apertures 7, the latter being under the control of perforated slides 8, the perforations 9, wherein are adapted to be moved into and out of register with the swell controlling apertures 7 as hereinafter fully described.

The keyboard 10, is arranged longitudinally at one side of the aforesaid frame 3, and obliquely inclined in relation thereto, as will be clearly seen on reference to Fig. 2, and it is fitted with a row of keys 11, 11, under the action of springs 12, suitably housed in the back of the key-board, and each ofsaid keys 11, is provided at the end 13, remote from the finger pieces 14, with a cranked arm 15, which carries a padded valve member 16, normally closing the back row of swell apertures 7, and sound emitting openings 6. 7

At or near the outer edge of the key-board 10, I fit a key 17, provided with a tongue or extension 18 and said key is normally" projected outward by compression springs 19, its movement under the action of the springs 19, being limited by a laterally pm:

je-cting stop 20, which projects into a slot" 21, provided for the purpose in the back plate22, of a casing 23,v fitted to the underside of the key-board 10.

Mounted in guides 24, inthe casing 23, i there are housed obliquely opposed slide 1 bars 25, whose meeting ends are notched out at 26, to alternately engage with a pin 27, rigidly secured to the aforesaid tongue or extension 18, and their opposite ends are rounded at 28,t0 cooperate with the notched out parts 29, of cranked levers 30, pivotally mounted at 31, to the back plate 22.

Springs 32, normally keep the notched out parts 26, of the slide bars 25, in the path of the pin 27, and the lower members 33, of the cranked levers 30, are enlarged or provided with projecting flanges 34, contacting with a tongue 35, movable longitudinally in a slot 36, and integral with a slide bar 37. This slide bar 37 is mounted in appropriate bearings within the frame 3, and it is provided with an eye 38, at one end in which engages one arm 39, of a crank 40, provided with prongs or arms 41,- engaging-and adapted to operatethe aforesaid swell controlling perforated slides 8, 8.

It is to be here noted that the slides 8, 8, are preferably arranged or mounted between the underside of the face plate 5, and the deflecting bridges 2, which are locked in spaced relation by a cranked bar 43.

It is obvious that an accordion swell con structed and arranged as above described will be very effective in use, as the player by manipulating or depressing the key 17, which will engage the notched out part of the left hand slide bar 25, in Fig. 2 for example, which will cause the rounded end 28, thereof to rock the left hand crank lever 30, on its pivot 31, and thereby force the tongue 35, to the right hand. 7 This movement of the tongue 35, will similarly carry the rod 37 to the right hand, which in turn will rock the crank 39, slightly clockwise and the prongs 41, will move the slides 8,

over to the right hand, thereby closing the swell openings 7, 7. It will readily be seen that the depression or oblique deflection of the left hand slide bar 25, will cause a reverse movement of the right hand slide bar 25, and thereby cause said right hand slide bar 25, to rock arcuately in opposition to its spring 32, until the pin 27, engages thev notched outpart 26 therein. A careful examination of Fig. 2, will make this movement perfectly clear without further or more lengthy description.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of. my invention will be readily apparent, for instance it will be obvious that by manipulating one or more keys 14, in conjunc tion with the main swell controlling key 17, various musical effects may be produced which have been heretofore more oriess impossible of rendition.

I wish it also to beunderstood that I may make changes in the construction, aswell as in the; combination and arrangement of the several parts, without departmg from the nature and essential features as hereinbefore described, provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed i p 1. In a wind instrument, the combination with a box-like frame for the attachment of bellows, a frame having an apertured faceapertures in they apertured face plates.

2. In a wind instrument, the combination with a box-like frame for the attachment of bellows, a frame having an apertured faceplate therein, and a key-board, of a series of apertured slides disposed beneath the face plate, a movable tongue projecting through the face-plate, crank connections from said apertured slides to said tongue, opposed. bell-crank levers pivoted beneath the key-board and engaging said tongue, spring influenced slide bars cooperating with said bell-crank levers, a spring con trolled key to move the spring influenced slide bars, and spring influenced valve members for opening one or more of the apertures in the face plate independently of the apertured slides. r

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

SALVATORE RABUAZZO. 

